


Mojave

by dovelette



Category: Big Time Rush
Genre: Adventure, Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Anxiety Attacks, Brotherhood, California, Car Chases, Cruelty, Danger, Dehydration, Desert, Disaster, Discrimination, Friendship, Gen, I Tried, Lack of Communication, Living Together, Multi, Near Death Experiences, Nightmares, No Sex, Not Really Character Death, Racism, Road Trips, Snakes, Survival, Suspense, Team Dynamics, Tragedy, Vacation, but i just couldn't fit that in here on top of all the other horrors they will go through, death valley - Freeform, friends - Freeform, heat - Freeform, i wish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-09
Updated: 2015-01-09
Packaged: 2018-03-06 19:45:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3146369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dovelette/pseuds/dovelette
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A harmless vacation to Death Valley soon turns fatal-the harsh terrain, immense heat, human cruelty & their own fears thrust the boys into a fight for their very lives. With no water or directions, how will they manage to escape the Valley of Death?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Let me introduce you to my BTR fanfic, "Mojave" based off an episode from "I Shouldn't Be Alive" © Animal Planet. You can watch the video on Netflix, Animal Planet or for free through Youtube.
> 
> This is a survival story featuring all the guys from Big Time Rush. This is not a slash fic but there will be plenty of action, bromance and intense emotions.
> 
> Location: Death Valley within the Mojave desert of Inyo County, California
> 
> Extra: My family used to dirt bike for years. We own the two bikes mentioned below & I'm actually enjoying having to remember my experiences in the desert in order to write this...who knew that they would ever come in handy?
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy it; I'd love to hear your predictions on what will happen and critiques! I couldn't wait to start this story, so here is the beginning of our grand adventure. Please enjoy the first chapter!
> 
> Warning:
> 
> The rating may increase as we go along for violence, graphic imagery, disturbing or uncomfortable situations. If at any time you feel like it's too much to handle, please press the back button and carry on with your lovely day :)
> 
> **Disclaimer:**
> 
> Written in 2012. Uploaded from Fanfiction.net
> 
> James, Logan, Kendall and Carlos belong to BTR © Nickelodeon
> 
> "I Shouldn't Be Alive" © Animal Planet, thank you for the inspiration!

Warm, wind-engulfed clouds hovered close to the thin horizon upon which a jagged mountainous range jutted upwards to pierce the azure sky. Tufts of rusty grass dotted the barren landscape, forming in clusters besides bulbous moonstone formations.

All was quiet in the wasteland of stone and sun-bleached sand. The only element of visible movement that disturbed the wild setting was the rolling trail of dust issuing from beneath a metallic white truck streaking across the blistering savanna.

Narrowing in on the skittish vehicle, one could hear the vibrations of some familiar reggae tune floating out of half-cracked windows. Bumping and jostling over slight dips in the road known by the locals as whoops, the occupants merrily hummed along, casting all worries aside in anticipation of reaching their remote destination.

"Right," Came the quiet chirp from the passenger seat as a raven-haired young man looked up from scanning a worn traveler's map which was found stuffed away beneath the back seat two weeks prior to the journey,

"Turn right. Right here Kendall!"

"Oh relax Logan." The blonde replied in a nonchalant manner as he hastily swiveled the steering wheel in the demanded direction, recklessly crashing through the underbrush,

"I know where we're going."

"Well," His pale companion huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose between two slender fingers,

"It looked like you were going to miss it to me."

Kendall shrugged in reply, noticing how his Spiderman shaped keychain attached to the keys stuck in the ignition slot jingled along with the careening car,

"But I know this desert like the back of my hand! My dad used to take me and my sis out here all the time when we were little."

"I don't care!" The tenor voice rose to a higher pitch as he aggravatingly waved the map out in front of the charismatic face not paying any attention to the almost indiscernible road,

"I've already told you how easy it is to get lost in the desert, regardless of how many times you've been here!"

"Hahah you're right." Kendall good-naturally admitted, finding it easier to agree with his friend than to start a pointless battle between the driver and the self-proclaimed navigator of this lunatic expedition.

"Of course I'm right." The pout transformed into a stiff lipped smile as the pale boy twisted in his seat to check up on the passengers located behind him.

"You guys good back there?"

"Um…well, I'm sort of cramped."

Deep, brown eyes crinkled in surprised enjoyment. Two dunces were tangled and squished against one another, Carlos's chin twisted against the metal bar of a lawn chair and his friend's torso while James struggled to situate his contorted legs from stretching beyond the tendon's strict limits.

Miscellaneous ice coolers full of cold beverages and snacks dug into their ribcages, sleeping bags bombarded glass windows, luggage and various tools hemmed the pair in on all sides while stacks of firewood smashed their pinched feet.

"All's good in the hood, Logie!" The cheerful, helmet-encased head sang out from beneath a colossal pile of debris. The shaggy-headed but refined brunette beamed at his playful partner then back up to the front of the vehicle,

"Haha we're fine. But hopefully we'll find camp soon, my legs can't take much more of this!"

"Not to worry James, our camping lot is just over the next hill."

Muffled laughter fell from the lips of the driver who chanced to look up from the road every so often to take a peek at the scene that presented itself in the rear view mirror.

"It looks like Carlos is enjoying himself." Logan nodded, readjusting his loose seat-belt more firmly across his waist,

"Yeah. But it's James we'll have to worry about once we get there."

"What do you mean?" Burly eyebrows inched up in concern but the apprehension dissipated due to the soft wink flashed towards him,

"I have no clue if he'll ever be able to get those long legs of his to straighten out!"

Dust spilled over the dry ground in waves as the cramped Dodge Dakota chugged over a small rise and rolled down into a semi-cleared out hollow at the base of a crumbling slope. Gliding into a fixed position, the vehicle carrying two impressive dirt bikes rumbled to a stop.

An electric green Kawasaki 65, built for speed and precision, leaned against a beast of a machine, the Honda CR 450-the monster's bright red panels glistening beneath the heavy summer sun. Both beautifully crafted bikes shone like a reflective mirror over the edge of the truck's bed, the freshly polished steel of the powerful engines made for shifting earth glinted in their own glory.

Kicking the door open, converse hit the ground.

"Alright boys," A triumphant Kendall Knight strode out into the middle of the clearing, proudly surveying the area in satisfaction,

"Time to set up camp!"


	2. All Good Things Must Come to an End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sickness is no fun...at least it's spring break and I have nothing else to do besides work on homework, my art and stories. So here we go!
> 
> Disclaimer: Big Time Rush (c) Nickelodeon

Before an hour had transpired, the form of a semi-recognizable camp had become visible in the remote clearing. The footfalls of tennis shoes could be heard stomping across the thick metal of the trailer's bed as the gang unloaded large coolers and gas cans, rolling the beastly dirt bikes down the slippery rampart while tossing sleeping bags willy-nilly as if they were chucking the poor rolled blankets off a cliff.

"That should be all of it." Logan announced, glancing up from his checklist to witness James and Kendall working as a team to unload a giant ice box while Carlos whistled, carrying a light weight grill beneath an arm.

Once the duo dropped the chest full of their edible supplies, they conglomerated around their nominated organizer who was hastily etching out a circle in the ground. The dented nib of a discarded golf club found sticking out of a large batch of juniper transformed into a baton, marking the prime location upon which a fire pit could grow.

"Alright Carlos, I want you to gather firewood. Kendall, James-you're with me on kindling and rock duty." Without complaint, each boy set about their tasks. Carlos appeared the most joyful of all, happily dragging cracked twigs and the dried trunks of Yucca trees back towards the makeshift fire pit.

Later, he managed to point out parched tumble weed and plains grass to the others, a genius find that could be used to fuel the initial sparks of the flame without needlessly consuming matches when they had loam and wildflowers to stoke the basin. The sketched oval in the loosely packed ground soon developed into a fordable loop, constructed of quarried desert rocks tossed by Kendall to Logan to James who elected himself to organize the serrated edges into a completed puzzle of a ring.

Once the main groundwork had been built up, James left with the last detailing of balancing disproportionate corners of stone together, the others lounged on the lawn chairs fanned out about the unprepared hearth.

"Okay James, I think that's good."

"Aww but I'm almost finished!" The bronzed model of a man whined, attempting to harmonize a triangular piece on a tilted surface. Logan sighed, biting his tongue before a statistic of how much James's efforts would not affect the overall performance of their heat source rambled off his tongue.

Kendall instinctively noting Logan's rising sense of irritation called out to the shaggy haired boy,

"Chill James, you did fine, really its fine. You don't need to make it perfect."

"But," A childish answer countered, "I want it to be."

"Dude, nothings perfect so why are you trying so hard on a stupid fire ring?"

"I-uh," To that, the brunette bit his tongue in thought before smiling behind twisted arms almost placing the abstract rock flawlessly, "It's just a thing I have. I know nothings perfect, but there's no reason why you can't try to make anything as perfect as it can be, right?"

"Sure, sure." Kendall nodded, slightly surprised by his usually dimwitted friend's deep insight,

"But you're making Logan antsy. So come sit down already, won't ya?"

"Ah fine, you've convinced me." James sighed, stretching up. Passing Logan, he playfully shot out one of his long arms, successfully ruffling Logan's neatly styled hair,

"You've got to calm down, Logie."

"I am calm!" Logan huffed, "I don't get why everybody thinks I'm freaking out."

Three pairs of eyes exchanged a long look, a similar expression written in each of their orbs, before they burst out laughing at Logan's expense.

"Ha hah, real mature guys," The more petite teen sarcastically retorted, leaning up against the side of the truck,

"Okay so maybe I'm not relaxed…I promise I'll be calm as soon as everything's in order. Speaking of order…"

With that, his voice trailed off as he flipped through his leather bound notebook, eyes scanning the checklist he had crafted for their weekend get-a-way,

"It looks like we aren't forgetting anything; Now since we're only sleeping here for one day, we have enough supplies for tonight and breakfast tomorrow, so no one better be sneaking food out of the coolers. You got that Carlos?"

"What?" Carlos asked innocently, shoulders hunched up as if Logan's route of the accusation was completely preposterous.

"Well," Twin, beady eyes left the miscreant alone to check the last box on his list, a dark dash crossing out the necessity of a pit and firewood, "Now that that's done, whose ready for some off-roading?"

Filling up the tanks with iridescent fuel until the gas cistern became topped off, the four desperadoes were ready for a good time. After suiting up and giving a few sharp jabs at the kick start, the twin motors roared to life. Beginning shakily, the boys riding in pairs soon were zooming around camp and flowing across small grooves which had been left in the hard-packed earth by distant thunder storms.

Someone suggested a race, an idea greeted with eager enthusiasm. The boys needed no second biding before the teams raced off across the flat bed of the desert. Whooping with joy, Carlos crowed out to the sun as he raised himself up into a standing position as the driver darted rapidly past cacti and rough ledges attempting to prevent him to reach the bike slightly ahead.

Gaining in on the quicker Kawasaki, James laughed, spraying a shower of dirt and grass roots at his blonde opponent while the teams made a quick turn against the face of the mountain range looming up on the right.

The green bike, supposedly as fit as a grasshopper, sputtered to an abrupt halt. A stray limb of an old Yucaipa had struck the back spokes of the machine within the last leg of the turn, the starving engine garbling up a branch without warning. Crashing surprisingly gently into a sand bank, Logan and Kendall picked themselves up, disappointed that their lime green dirt bike was still attempting to dissolve handfuls of the gritty material that had become trapped within the interior structure.

Although the large red beast was out in front, Carlos quickly tapped James shoulder to indicate that there was a problem. Shouting above the roar of the chugging motor, Carlos pointed backwards,

"Turn around, looks like they crashed."

Needing no urging, James nodded in understanding before forcing the bike to pivot and launch the pair on a return trip. Landing with ease from the back of the bike, Carlos jostled up in time to help unfasten the powdered helmet belonging to Logan as James ground the bike to a halt.

"We hit that tree," Kendall explained, tucking his removed helmet beneath an armpit as he meandered over to the running engine carrying James.

"Luckily, our campsite is around that next bend." Informed James, tugging his red helmet off to reveal a slightly steaming forehead, "I already saw it while I was up ahead."

"Good work." Kendall slapped the frame of the bike as he strode back to the side of his crumpled metal steed, "Okay, let me just pick this baby up."

"Hold on, I'll help you push." James offered, supporting the heavy mount on a frail-looking kickstand, "Logan you take my place."

"You sure James?"

"Yeah," The lengthy individual beamed, shoving his helmet into Logan's hands,

"You haven't gotten to drive much yet. Besides..." He winked

"I'm a bit stronger than you." Eyes twinkling at the insult, James sidestepped a punch thrown by the weaker boy before joining Kendall already prepared to start the long trek back to their campsite.

Downshifting to the lowest gear, the green Kawasaki shifted into neutral. With a few initial grunts, Kendall and James managed to heave the bike out of the impression it had made into the malleable soot and began to push the jittery contraption all the way back to camp as Carlos and Logan, together on the Honda, drove slowly behind.


End file.
